Dragon*Con is all about the fun!  You would have to be a zombie not to have fun there.   Kids Need to Read learned all about it thanks to a Facebook cause to get KNTR to Dragon*Con, sponsored by Mike Dougherty and the crew of Browncoats: Redemption!

There was merrymaking . . .

Troublemaking . . .

Camaraderie . . .

Sweetness . . .

Triple sweetness . . .

Evilness . . .

Double evilness . . .

And so much joke-telling . . .

We have so many people to thank for making Dragon*Con so wonderful.  PJ Haarsma and I were invited to join the Browncoats: Redemption panel, which quickly overflowed the designated room, even after opening up the adjoining room!  Fifty people had to be turned away.  The two of us enjoyed being part of the gathering and watching the premiere of the intriguing Browncoats: Redemption teaser.

© Kelly Dougherty

The premiere of the film will take place next year at Dragon*Con 2010.  All proceeds from the DVD release will be given to various Browncoat-related charities, including Kids Need to Read.  The whirlwind that is Redemption writer/director Mike Dougherty quickly raised almost $700 for KNTR at the panel.  We are grateful to all who answered Mike’s call to give.  We accept no responsibility for the heinous act Mike put on in our booth to raise more funds for KNTR (see double evilness, above), but look for a possible repeat at Creation Entertainment Salutes Serenity and Firefly in November!  He is wickedly hilarious!

Claudia Drinovsky conducted another incredible Jayne Hat Knit-a-thon for KNTR, knitting an amazing 14 hats while constantly working in the Austin Browncoats very busy booth.  She gives new meaning to the word multi-tasking; it was more like octa-tasking!  Claudia raised $2,148 for Kids Need to Read through pledges and hat sales.  I ordered and purchased the first knitted hat, made especially for KNTR’s own Terrify’n Space Monkey.

Watching Claudia knit at every available moment gave me a deep appreciation for how difficult it is to pull off this fundraiser during the hectic schedule of Dragon*Con.  We thank Claudia for her giving spirit!  We also thank Beth Nelson and Austin Browncoats for allowing us to share part of their booth this year.  It gave us a chance to spread awareness for KNTR, as well as witness the various costumes Beth showed up in every day.  What a show!

I finally got to visit with Sending a Wave podcaster Wendy Scott after three years of internet and phone communications!  Wendy conducted interviews for Sending a Wave with PJ and me at Dragon*Con.  Wendy is always a hoot to chat with.  We sincerely thank her and Andrew for their unwavering support of Kids Need to Read throughout the years.  (Thanks for the “looks younger than I expected” comment on the previous podcast, Andrew!  What a silver-tongued devil you are!)

Minister of Magic Jenn Clack stopped by our table to present KNTR with a $1,700 check for funds raised at Azcatraz this past July.  We didn’t see Jenn with a wand, but she definitely has a magical personality.  Kids Need to Read loves Harry Potter Education Fanon and is greatly looking forward to Infinitus 2010!

So here is to happy faces . . .

Familiar faces . . .

Volunteer fun . . .

And good times!

See more pictures of Dragon*Con 2009 in the KNTR gallery and join us at Dragon*Con 2010.

At B. F. Norton Elementary School in Cumberland, Rhode Island, the library is only 40% stocked.  Not only that, the books are old and many are falling apart.  Chris Naughton, Chair of the Library Improvements Committee, told Kids Need to Read that most of the books her child brings home from school are in need of repair.

Kids Need to Read donated fifty books to B. F. Norton’s library.  Of course, all of the books KNTR provides are not only of high quality in between the covers, but they are brand new and in great physical condition.  According to Chris Naughton, the books Kids Need to Read donated were a welcome addition to their library:

We cannot express how grateful we are to be receiving these books!  Thank you so much for donating them to us, as they will not only improve our library, but will truly enhance our students’ education!  Thank you for caring.

Eagleville, Tennessee’s library has one room and is run by one person.  In other words, it is small.  They serve Eagleville, Unionville, Chapel Hill and Rockvale.  The last three communities don’t even have libraries, so the Eagleville Bicentennial Public Library is an important place.  Branch Supervisor Donna Jordon said that when she was appointed to the post in July 2008, “It became obvious to me almost immediately that this small community has a lot of voracious readers that have read through the library’s collection of books.”

Kids Need to Read donated seventy-nine books to the library in all.  After receiving the books, Donna said, “Your organization is awesome, and I can’t thank you enough for your generous gift of these books.”

A small book budget and a small building may seem like insurmountable difficulties for a library, but there are no challenges too great for those who love to read.

This past summer, I had the pleasure of visiting Sam Garcia Western Avenue Library in Avondale, Arizona.  The library in this small community west of Phoenix had just received a large shipment of our books, so I decided to drop by and say hello.  I was given a tour of the library and treated to a colorful display of our books.

It was a fun surprise to see thank you signs created for Kids Need to Read.

The librarians were extremely grateful to KNTR, because they have not had a budget for new kids’ books since September 2008.  According to Teen Librarian Jordan Boaz, “The kids were so excited about the titles and our children’s librarian has already planned multiple story times around the books that we got.”

Children’s Librarian Daphne Purchase, Library Manager Lisë Chlebanowski and Teen Librarian Jordan Boaz

Jordan had heard about Kids Need to Read when she attended a conference at which KNTR board member James Blasingame spoke.  Referring to James as an “amazing speaker,” Jordan also mentioned that she heard about Rings of Orbis at the conference.  Rings of Orbis is the free, online game created by KNTR Founder PJ Haarsma to connect kids interested in gaming with literacy. Jordan said she had been using Rings of Orbis in the library with success, saying that it really attracts the kids.  She had only used it on a limited basis, because they did not yet have The Softwire books that the game is built around.  Now that they have the series, Jordan plans to step up using Rings of Orbis in the library in support of reading.

Jordan showed me the teen section of the library, which was bright and featured many computers for the kids to access.  Unfortunately, the book shelves were sparse, so I felt happy that we had sent many books for teen readers.

The library is small, but it was filled with lots of kids happily reading!  I found this very heartening. It is good to know there is a huge audience for our books there.  Children’s Librarian Daphne Purchase told me she had had a story time earlier in the day with two books provided by KNTR and planned to build other programs around our donation.

The library hosts a free lunch program for the kids of the community.  This was the first time I had seen such a program at a library before, but it struck me as a great way to build a culture of literacy around those participating.  Because the library is so close to several schools, Jordan says they “often work with them to form a cohesive net that surrounds the children with literature.”

There is no better reward for my commitment to KNTR than being able to visit a recipient of one of our donations.  I felt very proud over the many compliments for the Kids Need to Read program, our book list and our distinguished board members.  In front of the library stood a beautiful sculpture – a tree of children’s hands.

Hopefully, these “leaves” represent many children holding books in their hands!

I cannot even express how grateful we are here at the library. – Jordan Boaz, Teen Librarian, Sam Garcia Western Avenue Library

]]> http://community.kidsneedtoread.org/?feed=rss2&p=2286 1 http://community.kidsneedtoread.org/?p=2286 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/KidsNeedToRead/~3/uTysJy_hqRw/ http://community.kidsneedtoread.org/?p=2300#comments Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:13:25 +0000 Denise Gary http://community.kidsneedtoread.org/?p=2300 Hello KNTR Friends,

Some of you may remember my Thank You for Caring! message not too long ago.  In it, I thanked all of you for voting for Kids Need to Read in The Christie Cookie $25,000 Charity Giveaway.  Even though we did not win the contest, I said we won big in another way by witnessing your enthusiastic support for our mission.

Well, I had a wonderful surprise placed in my hands by the smiling FedEx delivery man this morning.  It was a box . . . from The Christi Cookie Company.  “Ooooooo,” I thought, “yummy cookies!”  Sure enough, nestled inside was a large, superbly packaged tin of cookies, given to Kids Need to Read for finishing in the top 50.  Yep, I snuck one of the chocolate chip cookies already!  I tell you straight, it was one of the finest chocolate chip cookies I have ever eaten.  (Seriously, it was that good!)

But there was more.  A little envelope with our name on it. . . . Yes! Inside was a check for $100 “to encourage and support” Kids Need to Read!  Now, you may ask why I am getting all worked up over $100 when the top prize was $10,000.  Because it was unexpected!  Because the company did not need to give out extra money they did not advertise they would be giving away!  Because that is generous giving!  That $100 provides lots of books and it means that all of your warm efforts on our behalf yielded some unexpected results for KNTR.  As Christie Cookies put it, “It was obvious by your voting results that you have passionate, committed supporters.”

But wait, there is more!  You will receive an email from The Christie Cookie Company designating 20% of your purchases from now until December 25, 2009 to Kids Need to Read.  All you have to do is include this specific key code when you order online: 25K32.  So, if you know someone who loves great cookies, your gift to them will support KNTR, as well.

I wish I could share these yummy cookies with all of you!  I am going to bring them to the Whedonopolis event this Friday and share them with our supporters there.  That’s after I give a couple to my husband; we must keep him happy!!!

I will leave you with another beautiful gift I received this morning – one you all can share in.

Wow!!!  Your organization has truly helped fill a big void in our school library/resource center!  Thank you so much for your generous donation of books for our students.  I can’t wait to process and display all the fantastic graphic novels and high interest books!  As you know, we have a large population of reluctant readers, as well as a self-contained program for emotionally disturbed students.  The titles that you have selected are the perfect prescription for developing their passion for reading.

Truly, Kids do Need to Read, and your foundation has done a great service to the students of Baltimore City.  I look forward to sending you more specific student feedback later in the year, but I just wanted to send a big THANK YOU from all of us here at Maritime Industries Academy #431.

Please know that what you have done is appreciated.  Our principal, Ms. Joy Savage, as well as our nearly 600 students, pass along their gratitude as well! – Jason Mabee, Media Specialist, Maritime Industries Academy #431, Baltimore City Public Schools, Maryland

Remember to create a culture of reading around the children in your lives.  Show them they live in a world without limits.

Gratefully,

Denise Gary
Executive Director

From the Valley of the Sun to arguably the cloudiest place in the nation, Kids Need to Read is there for the bookless.  North Public Health Clinic in Seattle sought out Kids Need to Read to help provide books to their school-aged and young adult patients when they discovered most other literacy programs only serve the very young.  Kids Need to Read helps to provide new books for children visiting the health center for well-checks throughout the year.

The kids they serve, who are from low-income families (many below the poverty level), don’t often have the opportunity to get books of their own, but thanks to the donation of over 700 books and 1600 Highlights magazines from Kids Need to Read, North Public Health Clinic has been able to give many of their patients that opportunity.

Sheryl A. Morelli, MD, who has put together the kid’s literacy project at North Public Health Clinic, calls the work of Kids Need to Read an “inspirational mission,” and says, “The outstanding collection of books that we receive from your organization continues to excite and inspire our patients to become lifelong readers!”

Now that’s what we like to hear!

Hey, Los Angeles!  Halloween is fast approaching!  Do you have your costume ready?  What about your plans?  Is there a party in your future or are you going to chaperone the kiddies while they ferret out the best houses for candy?

What’s that?  None of that is on your agenda?  You’re not planning anything for Halloween?

Well, the fine folks at Whedonopolis can fix that!  It’s time for the second annual Halloween screening of Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog!  Doesn’t that sound fun?  What better way to spend the scariest of holidays than with the good doctor?  And what if I told you that your ticket price would not only include a bag of goodies for making the show interactive, but would also help Kids Need to Read?  Would that pique your interest?  I hope so, because it’s true.  Twenty dollars gets you admission to the Regency Fairfax Theatre for the event and a collectible, interactive Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Bag!  And best of all, the proceeds from this event go straight to KNTR!

If that’s still not enough to convince those of you in the Los Angeles area to attend, fear not!  There’s more!  Whedonopolis will also be screening season two of The Guild and holding contests and raffles throughout the event.  There’s a chance you could win fun prizes or gift cards – even autographed copies of Dr. Horrible and The Guild!

So come on out and be part of something huge.  Last year, this event was attended by several cast and crew members of both The Guild and Dr. Horrible.  You might see someone you recognize . . . or at least a costumed facsimile!  But more importantly, last year’s screening raised over $4,200 for charity.  The organizers are hoping this year does even better, but that can’t happen without you!  For online ticket ordering or additional information, please visit www.whedonopolis.com.  We hope to see you there!

It seems that in Hollywood these days, the squeaky wheel gets the grease.  Usually the loudmouths and bad boys get the press – but not always.  This past weekend, that trend was reversed by USA WEEKEND.

USA WEEKEND is a Sunday supplemental magazine that is distributed in many newspapers.  Its cover story this week is Make A Difference Day, the nation’s largest day of service.  Make A Difference Day has been “celebrated” on the fourth Saturday of October for the better part of the past two decades and this year is no exception.  USA WEEKEND urges everyone to help out by volunteering in their own neighborhoods this coming weekend.

To help get their message across, USA WEEKEND has enlisted the help of more than sixty television shows on all four major networks: ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC.  In the coming week, ads encouraging service and volunteering will run in every sort of programming.  They’ve also harnessed the power of several Hollywood stars – including ABC’s hottest crime-fighting novelist, Rick Castle!  Nathan Fillion, co-founder of Kids Need to Read and star of Castle, is featured right on the cover of the magazine!

Inside the magazine, Nathan talks about his own volunteering efforts with Kids Need to Read and what makes it all worthwhile.  He says that “if you can teach a kid to read, he can do anything.”

Kids Need to Read could not agree more and we are excited to be mentioned in this national publication!  Won’t you join USA WEEKEND, KNTR, and countless others around the nation this coming weekend and beyond?  Volunteer and make a difference!

Marissa Baker, owner of the book company, has been a strong supporter of Kids Need to Read. We are grateful to Luna Cat Books for committing a portion of their profits to help us in our mission to empower children through reading.

DG

Kids Need to Read co-founder Nathan Fillion appears on the cover of the October 18^th edition of USA WEEKEND to promote volunteerism in honor of the magazine’s annual event, Make A Difference Day.  The star of ABC’s Castle posed with three other actors from various networks to represent their favorite causes and to encourage readers to take action to help others.  Appearing with Fillion are Eliza Dushku (Dollhouse), Hayden Panettiere (Heroes) and Hill Harper (CSI: New York).

According to the article, “studies show that nearly half of all people who volunteer started because they were asked to by someone they know.”  Fillion describes being asked by his good friend, children’s book author PJ Haarsma, to join him in founding Kids Need to Read to help provide books to under-funded schools and libraries, and to disadvantaged children who typically suffer from low literacy levels.  Says Fillion, “If you can teach a kid to read, he can do anything.”

Created by USA WEEKEND, Make A Difference Day takes place on Saturday, October 24.  It is an annual “celebration of neighbors helping neighbors” that occurs on the fourth Saturday of every October and includes millions of participants.  Leading up to the weekend event, the major television networks will begin including service messages about volunteering in more than sixty favorite television shows starting this Monday.  This is part of the Entertainment Industry Foundation’s I Participate campaign.

You too can take action to “make a difference” next weekend and every day throughout your life.  Why limit caring to a special day?